A Guide to the Previews comic catalog for August, Part 2: Marvel and Image

by iced jamb

Every month Diamond releases the 400+ page Previews catalog, a guide to everything available in the world of comics and geekdom two months from now. Such a massive volume can be a terror to make it through. This guide is designed to highlight some of the great things coming to the world of comics in August of 2011. This installment covers upcoming titles from Image Comics and Marvel Comics.

Image’s section of the catalog opens with The Infinite #1, the latest project from Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead). This time he has teamed with artist Rob Liefeld (Youngblood)to make a comic that promises to live up to all of Liefeld’s legendary excesses. The book involves time-travel, armor suits, crazy guns, and lots of muscles, all under a new tale by fan favorite Kirkman. The book is available both in a regular edition and a “Deluxe Edition” which features script pages and various other extras.

Savage Dragon175 seems to indicate a return of the original Dragon, though with writer/artist Erik Larsen at the helm, the truth could be anyone’s guess.

Morning Gloriestakes a month off of its regular schedule and instead ships the Morning Glories Yearbook 2011. Writer Nick Spencer teams with cover artist Rodin Esquejo for recap of the first year of the series that also features character bios, sketches, and script excerpts.

American Vampirewriter Scott Snyder teams with Scott Tuft and artist Attila Futaki to create his first series at Image. Severed revolves around a 12 year old boy in 1916 and a monster living in the small town to which he moves.

Writer/artist Jimmie Robinson returns to his always controversial creation Bomb Queen in her seventh limited series. This story flashes forward 100 years in to the future where Bomb Queen threatens a world now completely at peace.

Marvel debuts the first two books in its Ultimate Comics line revamp and both are written by Jonathan Hickman. Ultimate Comics Hawkeye is a four issue limited series with art by Rafa Sandoval. Meanwhile Ultimate Comics Ultimates challenges for the worst title in comic history with art by Esad Ribic.

Warren Ellis takes over Secret Avengers for a six issue run of single issue stories. His first story features art by Jamie McKelvie and involves Von Doom radiation and time travel in what is almost certainly a psychotic Ellis experience.

Challenging Ultimate Comics Ultimates for the worst title in comic history is Iron Man 2.0#7.1. This point one issue by regular writer Nick Spencer and artist Kano is an introductory issue to the book’s second major storyline.

Greg Rucka returns to mainstream comics as he teams with Marco Checchetto to bring The Punisher back to the regular Marvel Universe. Marvel double ships the title with two issues in the month of August.

Point one strikes Herc as well with issue 6.1. The regular writing team of Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak team with legendary artist Mike Grell (The Warlord) that looks to be bringing Hermes back in to the former god of strength’s life.

Marvel’s new line of Crossgen titles continues with its third limited series. This time Mystic gets revamped by the creative team of G. Willow Wilson (Egypt) and David Lopez (Hawkeye and Mockingbird).

Every issue of the classic run by Peter Milligan, Mike Allred and company gets collected in the X-Statix Omnibus. The book collects all 26 issues of X-Statix, the year of X-Force issues, and every limited series and tie-in that featured the characters from the book.

Be sure to check out the last installment which featured books from DC, IDW and Dark Horse, as well as the third part, which covers the massive second half of the Previews catalog.

As always, all the titles listed here are available for order at comic shops worldwide, including Cedar Rapids/Marion’s Alter Ego and Iowa City’s Daydreams.